Dark Troopers
The main goal for the Dark Trooper project was to create the next evolution of the stormtrooper, something it accomplished many times over. Although not an organization per say since they are droid models, the Dark Troopers are nonetheless treated as a separate group in the military due to their diversity and skill on the battlefield. The design of the Dark Troopers is modeled after typical stormtrooper armor and they are built to withstand conditions no ordinary stormtrooper is capable of. To make the Dark Troopers even more fearsome, the more advanced models pack an arsenal capable of wiping out most armored vehicles, to say nothing of the common soldier. Squads of the Dark Troopers are characteristically deployed alongside the standard Imperial stormtroopers and the Imperial Army regulars in battles to add their distinctive advantage. Type I Dark Troopers are typically left to defend key installations while Type II Dark Troopers use their advanced combat techniques and jetpacks to drop behind enemy lines or outflank enemy positions, contributing to the overall effectiveness of battle maneuvers by creating havoc amongst their foes. In addition to their standard armament, they can be equipped with a variety of other weapons. Common practice is to outfit them with fragmentation grenades, thermal detonators, or concussion grenades. All Dark Troopers are fitted with armor made of the nearly indestructible metal phrik. In addition to providing superior protection against enemy fire, the armor of the Type III is equipped with acceleration compensators to allow a soldier inside to endure the extreme maneuvers the unit is designed to perform. When Oremin revived the program during the Xen'Chi War, several updates were added to the droids. Perhaps the most complex was an anti-slicing measure, initially designed to keep GAIT from taking control of the droids for herself. Per Oremin’s upgrade, any intrusion into the A.I. of the droids will cause a reboot, effectively eliminating any attempt to alter the droid's programming. To keep them from stalling during the few seconds needed for the reboot, a secondary A.I. on standby, exactly the same as the first, takes over. The two A.I.'s will then keep switching as neccesary, allowing the Dark Troopers to continually frustrate an intruder without a loss in combat performance. Dark Trooper Types Although initially each model of Dark Trooper was referred to by the phase in their development, the "phase" designation was changed to "type" once the project was resurrected by Oremin to reflect the different ways each model could be used on the battlefield. *Type I Dark Trooper *Type II Dark Trooper *Type III Dark Trooper *Type IV Dark Trooper History Galactic Civil War The Dark Trooper Project was originally the brainchild of General Rom Mohc, who strongly advocated the martial virtues of close combat with one's enemy, and thus disagreed with the philosophy that created such superweapons as the Death Star. He operated the Dark Trooper project from his customized starship, Arc Hammer. The Dark Troopers were first used against the Rebel Tak Base in the Battle of Talay, in retaliation for the destruction of the first Death Star. They slaughtered all the Rebels in the base. Concerned about the potential threat of the dark troopers, Mon Mothma tasked Kyle Katarn with the program's destruction. Katarn succeeded in destroying Arc Hammer after killing Mohc. With the death of Mohc and the destruction of Arc Hammer, all research into the Dark Trooper project, and all research into other battle droid programs, ended. The Dark Troopers would not see combat again until the project was resurrected by Reng Kasr in 14 ABY. The Xen'Chi With the Xen'Chi and GAIT attacking the galaxy so soon after the Battle of Corellia, the weakened military might of the Empire and the New Republic were ill-equipped to handle the new war. With system after system falling to the invaders and their superior numbers, it became clear to Kasr that the Empire could not survive in its present state. To address the problem of the Empire's dwindling numbers, Kasr restarted the Dark Trooper program using the resources of Oremin to begin the initial first step. Oremin scientists updated and improved upon the Dark Trooper A.I. pioneered during Mohc's day. They also put in several safeguards to keep the Dark Troopers from falling into the wrong hands. In order to prove the usefulness of his new Dark Troopers, Kasr picked the conquered world of Mechis III to serve as an example of just what they were capable of. It would become known as the Second Battle of Mechis III. Oremin's Dark Troopers handled themselves frightening well, routing the Xen'Chi warriors with deadly precision and even managing to board and take control of a ''Hetch'hek''-class Cruiser without assistance. The Dark Troopers would prove to be invaluable throughout the war, helping to win several crucial battles against the extragalactic menace. Kasr even developed prototypes for what would become the Type IV Dark Trooper in preparation for the eventual assault on GAIT. Although the Type IV’s never ended up facing off against her, they still proved useful in taking down GAIT’s Force-using Chosen. Oremin would continue to use the Dark Troopers for the many challenges that would follow the aftermath of the war… =Sources= *Wookieepedia *The Star Wars Databank Category:Galactic EmpireCategory:Oremin